I know world-leading veterinarians who have become huge proponents of vegan dog food because they have witnessed the skyrocketing cases of chronic diseases in their canine patients over many decades.
Many of us already know first-hand the health benefits our canine
companions experience from feasting on a well-balanced vegan diet. But it’s
always great when more studies come out in support of vegan dog food! The
newest one to appear is a peer reviewed study published October 22, 2022 in
The Archives of Clinical and Biomedical Research. For this study, 100 dog
guardians feeding UK-based Omni vegan dog food for three – 12 months
participated in an online Likert Scale-type survey assessing their dog’s
health status in a variety of areas. [Reported
Health Benefits of a Vegan Dog Food – A Likert Scale-Type Survey of 100
Guardians]
After feeding Omni vegan dog food for 3 – 12 months, the guardians reported
statistically significant improvements in their dogs’ health in a variety of
areas, including:
One of the most interesting results that I found in this study was the
improvement in the dogs’ fecal consistency. Twenty-eight out of 32 dogs
(87.5%) who previously suffered from soft or watery stool improved with
their stool becoming firmer. On the flip side, eight out of 11 dogs with
previously hard or very hard feces also improved, with their stool becoming
softer.
These findings support what I see all the time in my canine nutrition
practice: that a plant-based diet greatly improves stool consistency and
other clinical signs (gas, gurgling, etc.) in dogs suffering from chronic
gastrointestinal conditions.
Skin inflammation, redness and itchiness are also common issues I see in
meat-fed dogs. In this study, more than half (55.6%) of dogs affected with
skin redness improved after switching to the diet, and in 44.4% the issue
resolved completely.
Advocates of meat-based dog food often like to perpetuate the myth that
plant-based foods are not palatable to dogs. During the two years of
researching and writing my new book,
The Plant-Powered Dog: Unleash the powers of a whole-food
plant-based diet to help your canine companion enjoy a healthier, longer
life, I found the exact opposite to be true. In fact, study
after study showed that dogs readily take to eating plant-based foods. This
latest study further supports my findings both with my own canine clients
and in reviewing numerous studies.
In the Omni study, 82% of dogs “ate the novel plant-based food with
enthusiasm when presented with it for the first time” (pp. 894). Ten percent
of the dogs ate some of it immediately and then went back later and finished
it. Another 7% ate it when it was gradually introduced over several days.
One one dog refused to eat the vegan dog food unless it was mixed with other
foods. This once again confirms that dogs find plant-based dog food highly
palatable and have no issues readily accepting it.
Many people like to brush off the results of these types of
guardian-reported studies as potentially biased or unreliable. I completely
disagree. Why? Let me ask you this question: do you feel that you are tuned
in to changes in your dog’s health as well as or even better than your
veterinarian? I would say yes! After all, you are with your dog every day.
You notice when their stool quality changes, their tummy gurgles or their
skin is red and inflamed.
In fact, I know world-leading veterinarians who have become huge proponents
of vegan dog food because they have witnessed the skyrocketing cases of
chronic diseases in their canine patients over many decades. Of course
randomized, controlled clinical studies are important to validate these
types of results. That’s why their are loads of them in my new book. But
what I’m also saying is that first-hand experience matters.
This study is just the latest showing that that a plant-based diet for dogs
is a true win for our canine companions, all animals and the planet.
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